Working with ENOVIA LCA: Optimal CATIA PLM Usability

  When working with ENOVIA LCA, the safe save mode prevents the user from creating or editing data in CATIA that cannot be correctly saved in ENOVIA LCA.
Working in this mode means that certain commands are unavailable (i.e. grayed) as you enter the Real Time Rendering 1 (RT1) or the Real Time Rendering 2 (RTR) workbench.

ENOVIA LCA offers two different storage modes: Workpackage (Document kept - Publications Exposed) and Explode (Structure Exposed - Document not kept).
For detailed information on saving documents in ENOVIA LCA, refer to "Saving an ENOVIA LCA Document from CATIA V5" in the Version 5 - ENOVIA/CATIA Interoperability User's Guide.
Below are listed the commands along with their accessibility status in Explode mode and, in some cases, the rules that are applied to the restricted commands.
 
  Command Accessibility in LCA
(Explode mode)

Warning/Comment

RT1		 Apply Material YES (restricted use)

Materials with textures are stored without the associated texture image.
Materials applied onto products are not saved when closing the session
Edit material properties YES (restricted use)

Materials with textures are stored without the associated texture image.
Materials applied onto products are not saved when closing the session

RTR

 

 Apply Sticker YES (restricted use)

Stickers are not saved when closing the session
Edit sticker properties YES (restricted use)

Stickers are not saved when closing the session
Create Spot Light YES (restricted use) Spot light sources can be created and saved only when working with the DMU Review
Create Point Light YES (restricted use) Point light sources can be created and saved only when working with the DMU Review
Create Directional Light YES (restricted use) Directional light sources can be created and saved only when working with the DMU Review

Edit light properties

 YES (restricted use) Modifications applied to light sources can be saved only when working with the DMU Review
Create Box Environment YES (restricted use) Box environments can be created and saved only when working with the DMU Review
Create Sphere Environment YES (restricted use) Sphere environments can be created and saved only when working with the DMU Review
Create Cylinder Environment YES (restricted use) Cylinder environments can be created and saved only when working with the DMU Review
Edit environment properties YES (restricted use) Modifications applied to environments can be saved only when working with the DMU Review
Create Camera YES (restricted use) Cameras can be created and saved only when working with the DMU Review
Edit camera properties YES (restricted use) Modifications applied to cameras can be saved only when working with the DMU Review
Simulation NO (grayed out)  
Create Turntable NO (grayed out)  

When working in Workpackage mode (Document kept - Publications Exposed), all the above-mentioned commands are available.
 
When you create a new revision of a material library (.CATMaterial file) and save it in ENOVIA LCA, the links between the part (or product) document and this library cannot be automatically synchronized.
This means that you cannot use the Replace with latest version contextual menu (available in ENOVIA LCA Impact By dialog box) and the Synchronize button (in the Edit/Links dialog box).

You then have to manually reroute these kind of links. To do this, re-apply the material from the new revision of the material library.
It is strongly recommended not to use revision mechanism for Material libraries documents.